Football offensive and defensive training apparatus



J. A. MoRAN July 4, 1967 FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TRAINING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 19 1962 fn venfOl www# 4f/amm,

J. A. MORAN July 4,1967

FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TRAINING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1962.

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J. A. MORAN July 4, 1967 EFENSIVE TRAINING APPARATUS FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE AND D 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 19 1962 United States Patent O 3,329,428 FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TRAINING APPARATUS James A. Moran, 283 Coal St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18702 Filed Mar. 1.9, 1962, Ser. No. 180,736 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-55) This invention relates to athletic training apparatus, particularly designed for training football linemen in offensive and defensive techniques.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that will simulate the charge of an opposing lineman, in the direction of an offensive lineman.

A further object is to present to an offensive lineman a blocking area similar in shape, size and movements to those encountered in game condition.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which will be useful in developing quick reexes, aggressiveness, along with proper timing, and proper blocking techniques.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a training apparatus which can be used indoors and outdoors.

Another object of this invention is to provide a training apparatus which is safe to operate and easy to maintain.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a training apparatus which is compact, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and description of same, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the training apparatus according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the training apparatus according to the present invention. v

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the backing plate assembly and the impact bag mounted thereon.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the actuating device of the present invention, taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the present invention, showing the training apparatus in the indoor or wall-mounted position.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation, with the impact bag removed, showing the present invention in the indoor or wall-mounted position.

FIGURE 7 is a modication of the backing plate assembly incorporating a plurality of impact bags.

Referring to the drawings in more specic detail, the training apparatus is embodied in FIGURES l through 6. The training apparatus includes a pair of base skids 1 to which are mounted front supports 2 and rear supports 3. These supports, pivotally connected to base skids 1 by front and rear mounting brackets 5 and 7 respectively, affording supports 2 and 3 pivotal movement as shown in FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6. Front support 2 and rear support 3 are reinforced by fronty spreader 34 and rear spreader 22, respectively. Atop front support 2 a hinge 19 is located, secured to front support 2 and barrel 11, affording barrel 11 pivotal movement about hinge 19 on front support 2, as shown in FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6. Rear support barrel mount 18 is secured to rear support 3 which facilitates securing rear support 3 to barrel 11, by bolting rear support barrel mount 18 to barrel securing lugs 26. These barrel securing lugs 26 are permanently mounted on barrel 11.

Base skids 1 are permanently connected by base spreader 4. Base spreader 4 serves as a mounting plate for barrel receptacle 20, which is used in the indoor or Wallmounted position, as shown in FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6. Attached to barrel receptacle 20 is lock plate 21 Patented July 4, 1967 which engages one of the barrel securing lugs 26, thereby locking barrel 11 in the indoor or wall-mounted position as shown in FIGURE 5 and FIGURE 6. Barrel 11 encases and contains the actuating device of this invention. Actuating arm 17 passes through a bronze bearing 25 mounted in front barrel head 24. Actuating arm 17 continues through front barrel head 24, and follower head 30 is attached to actuating arm 17, at its extreme end.'A tension spring 27 is attached to front barrel head 24 and follower head 30. The preferred method of attachment of said tension spring 27 to front barrel head 24 and follower head 30 is by threaded means. This might be achieved by other methods such as set screws, a flange engaging lug on said barrel head 24 and follower head 30, respectively. Thus any thrust imposed on actuating arm 17 will cause actuating arm 17 to pass through front barrel head 24, extending tension spring 27 to locked position, as shown in FIGURE 4. In this position, lock 10 engages follower head 30, locking actuating arm 17, and tension spring 27, in an extended position.

Lock 10 is mounted on barrel 11 by lock mount 9. Lock 10 is controlled by lock return compression spring 23, insuring a positive lock. Upon release of lock handle 8, actuating arm 17 will return to a forward position. Compression spring 28 will be engaged by stop 29 and act as a shock absorber. Follower head 30 is guided by key 32, thus maintaining the position of blocking bag 12 and backing plate 13 at all times. Rubber stop 31 is secured to end plate 33.

Impact bag 12, having a shock absorbing material for its core, is mounted on backing plate 13 by lacing or other suitable methods. Backing plate 13 is supported by back plate supports 15 to insure rigidity. Backing plate mounting collar 14 slides over actuating arm 17 and is locked in position by lock pin 16.

In order to convert this training apparatus from outdoor position, as shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2, to the indoor or wall-mounted position as shown in FIG- URE 5 and FIGURE 6, the following simple procedure is followed. Remove bolts from rear support barrel mount 18, allow rear support 3 to fold down as shown in FIG- URE 5; place barrel 11 into barrel receptacle 20; replace bolt in lock plate 21, and stand as shown in FIGURE 5. The training apparatus can be secured to a wall with lag bolts or hangers.

In operation, the device is positioned as shown in FIG- URE 2 or FIGURE 5. The coach takes a position to the side of lock handle 8. The player assumes his position in front of blocking bag 12. On a given count the coach releases the lock 10, and the impact bag 12 moves in a direction toward the player. The player, on a given count, will charge the impact bag while the coach observes to detect the proper timing. The impact delivered by the player will move the impact bag 12 back to a locked position, by extending tension spring 27. This apparatus can be used inthis fashion to train both offensive and defensive linemen, using either a shoulder block or a hand charge.

This training apparatus can be changed to accommodate two men by replacing backing plate assembly 13 with a twin backing plate assembly 13a, accommodating a plurality of backing plates and impact bags.

From an evaluation of the aforementioned statements it is evident all the stated objects have been accomplished.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments and advantages, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed. Modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a football offensive and defensive training machine, a support means, said support means being pivotally mounted on ground engaging skids, a casing pivotally mounted on said support means, an actuating arm reciprocally mounted in said casing, impact imparting and receiving means adapted to engage the body of the user, secured to one end of said actuating arm, externally of said casing, biasing means interposed between said casing and said actuating arm and continuously urging said arm outwardly of said casing, releasable locking means operatively engaging said biasing means, said support means comprising a front support member and a rear support 10 member, the location of said pivotal mountings being such as to allow selective folding of said skids with respect to said casing into a substantially parallel relationshipy for ground engagement of said skids or substantially perpendicular relationship for vertical surface mounting of said skids.

4. In a football oiiensive and defensive training machine, as recited in claim 3, said biasing means further including a follower head on said arm constituting the securing means for said spring, said releasable locking means engaging said follower head.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 221,694 11/1879 Mulholland 124-16 1,006,402 10/ 1911 Reibstein 124-29 1,070,039 8/1913 Kennedy 124-29 1,916,385 7/1933 Oakes 273-55 2,523,805 9/1950 Anthony 124-29 2,653,816 9/1953 Young et al. 273-55 2,940,757 6/1960 Britt 273-55 3,044,776 7/1962 Weidmaier et al 273-55 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner.

C. B. PRICE, G. L. PRICE, R. J. APLEY,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A FOOTALL OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TRAINING MACHINE, A SUPPORT MEANS, SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON GROUND ENGAGING SKIDS, A CASING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, AN ACTUATING ARM RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING, IMPACT IMPARTING AND RECEIVING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE BODY OF THE USER, SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID ACTUATING ARM, EXTERNALLY OF SAID CASING, BIASING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CASING AND SAID ACTUATING ARM AND CONTINUOUSLY URGING SAID ARM OUTWARDLY OF SAID CASING, RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID BIASING MEANS, SAID SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A FRONT SUPPORT MEMBER AND A REAR SUPPORT MEMBER, THE LOCATION OF SAID PIVOTAL MOUNTINGS BEING SUCH AS TO ALLOW SELECTIVE FOLDING OF SAID SKIDS WITH RESPECT TO SAID CASING INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP FOR GROUND ENGAGEMENT OF SAID SKIDS OR SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR RELATIONSHIP FOR VERTICAL SURFACE MOUNTING OF SAID SKIDS. 